My favorite celebrity story of 2015

Patti LaBelle (Getty Images) and her most talented fan, James Wright in a clip from his viral video.

Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Getty Images

Patti LaBelle (Getty Images) and her most talented fan, James Wright in a clip from his viral video.

Sometimes it's cringe-inducing, like when Steve Harvey crowned the wrong Miss Universe.

Sometimes it's confounding, like when Kim Kardashian announces a new app letting users send emojis of her booty to express themselves.

Sometimes it's very, very sad. Bobbi Kristina Brown's death at 22 this year might have been considered a "top" entertainment story in terms of reader interest but never, not once, did I lose sight of the fact that at the center of the story was a young woman denied the chance to grow up and experience life to its fullest.

There were the Honey Boo Boo updates  and the filming updates and the star sightings ( hey, Ryan Gosling.. hey ).

At the end of a very busy year, it's not hard at all for me to pick my favorite celebrity of 2015: James Wright, the guy whose hilarious "Patti Pie" YouTube video went viral. He and Patti LaBelle later met up, joined the aforementioned Steve Harvey for a segment on his show and .. who knows what's next ?

I love everything about this story. The sheer joy James showed in his video. His natural, God-given talent. His sense of humor and enthusiasm for a simple store-bought product. He deserves every minute of the fame that's come to him as a result of sharing his excitement in such a positive way. I hope to see more of him in 2016!

Thanks for reading in 2015. Happy New Year. See you in 2016!

ajc.com

Credit: Jennifer Brett

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Credit: Jennifer Brett